Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Gary, Indiana, August 27, 1988
On August 27, 1988 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N5140S, was destroyed in an accident near Gary, Indiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE POWERPLANT DUE TO AN OIL LEAK AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING INTO UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1988 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Gary, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N5140S · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7135162
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING OVER LAKE MICHIGAN AT NGT, A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE OCCURRED WHICH WAS QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE PLT PERFORMED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES & PREPARED FOR A FORCED LANDING. HE WAS ABLE TO GLIDE TO SHORE, BUT DUE TO 'INDUSTRIAL TERRAIN' ALONG THE SHORELINE, HE ELECTED TO DITCH THE ACFT IN LAKE MICHIGAN NEAR THE SHORE. AFTER DITCHING, HE EXITED THE ACFT & SWAM TO A BREAKWATER AND THE ACFT SANK. HE WAS RESCUED ABOUT 5 HRS LATER & WAS TREATED FOR HYPOTHERMIA. THE ACFT WAS FURTHER DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS RETRIEVED FROM THE LAKE. NO MECHANICAL REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,952 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 136 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 1,892 as pilot in command; 576 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,390 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 22, 1988; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 08C Jenison MI at 1:30 am
- Destination: 3HA Lansing IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:45 am from CGX, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N5140S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.